07.16.2008
07.16.2008
Originally uploaded by dremiel
Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, signs The Boy's iPod! *
That morning booksigning I thought was in a coffee house? Er, no. The address led me to a light-industrial strip center and a coffee importer/roaster. An unairconditioned coffee roaster! Ah, well. It smelled divine and the Columbian roast was very tasty.
Despite some confusion over the location, I arrived right on time to find... the two owners, the Roast Master and, one guy who heard a short grammar girl interview on KUT the day before. Eventually a few other podcast fans showed up (laptop in messenger bag=check, retro or geeky t-shirt=check, expensive haircut=check...) and then the author/podcaster/phenom herself. In the end there were about 25 foks for the signing. Not a bad number for 7:30 am in the middle of nowwhere
It was fun. She read the introduction from her book, answered questions (everyone who asked a question got a roll of smarties!), and signed books.
She said her biggest surprise of the Grammar Girl experience, other than the success of the podcast, has been learning how many things we think of as hard and fast rules are not black and white at all. Which circles back to The Boy reviewing an essay with his fifth grade teacher and telling her, "Well, it's a style question."
*Apparently, her first iPod autographing! I went with the Sharpie Industrial and then covered the autograph with a new film. Actually, I gave her one of the pens so if you happen to want your iPod signed down the line she may already be equipped for it.